Valerie Jeffries, a florist at Donn’s Florist shop, says the first plant she’d suggest is called a Peace Lily. “It’s green with a white sail. It takes very basic lighting and a lot of water,” she said. “If it starts to dry out, you can water it and it’ll perk right up.”
Another candidate is the Bromilliad. “It’s a tropical plant. It comes from the rain forest. There are a lot of species but they do require some special attention.” Jeffries said because it’s a rainforest plant, you need to water it in the center, since the plant is used to water dripping down onto it from the trees above. “Don’t just water at the roots, water from the top down,” she explained.
A bit less exotic but no less sturdy is the Sansavieria. “The common name for it is ‘mother-in-law’s tongue.’ You can pretty much do anything to it and it’ll still grow. It’s tall and thin, and will take low to moderate light, shady windows or indirect lighting,” said Jeffries. Sansavieria is also one of those plants that don’t require tons of watering to keep it in good shape.
A plant that Jeffries favors, both as a houseplant and also to be used in floral designs, is the Calathea. “These have a wonderful texture,” she said. “What happens with these is sometimes the leaves fold up at night and open back up in the morning.” While not quite as hard to kill as some of the others, the Calathea responds well to indirect lighting and watering on an as-needed basis.
Jeffries said over-watering is a common mistake in houseplant maintenance. “You don’t want to set your watering on a schedule. You want to let the soils tell you when it needs watering. If you feel it and the soil is moist, you’re fine. If it’s fairly dry, then sure go ahead and give your plant a drink,” she said.
As far as plant food goes, Jeffries says to err on the side of caution. “If the directions call for a certain amount, use just that much or a little less. Too much will burn the plant.”
Plants create a nice living environment for a homeowner, but they also can be a good investment for resale purposes. Christa Peterson of Legacy Realty Group said she loves to see plants in a home she’s trying to sell. “It definitely warms it up,” she noted. “I had a client who had a few empty pots sitting on a shelf. I told her to go ahead and get some plants in them.”
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